Few of us give attention to our thought life as much as to our outward life. That’s the reason why it is covered with dust and strangled by cobwebs. How well it will be with us if only we give heed to our inner life than spend all our time and energy dusting and decorating our outward actions. Jesus chided the religionists of His day, “Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.” God cannot be cheated by our acts or appearance because He knows our heart (1 Sam 16:7). He found in David a man after His own heart, because God’s heart sought for a man’s heart that could beat to the same rhythm. In other words, when God sees a man He does not first see what he is doing, rather what he is thinking.

Outwardly we are all screwed up to please our fellowmen; but inwardly we are all relaxed, because (we believe) nobody knows what’s going on inside. But God knows it all. He understands our thoughts afar off before it escapes out of the heart in visible form (Psa 139:2,4). David knew it. That was why he commanded his son Solomon, “Know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts” (1 Chr 28:9).
We have a wrong notion that thoughts are not as bad as actions. But God weighs them equally in His balance. He deals with attitudes as strictly as with our actions. Sarah laughed within herself. And the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh?” Sarah did what any of us would have done and gone without a jot of guilt. She denied it saying, “I did not laugh.” But God said, “No, you did laugh!” (Gen 18:12-15). This interesting passage brings to light the many times we sin in our hearts and refuse to acknowledge it, the many times we do the right thing with a wrong attitude and yet deny that we were wrong indeed.

For a tree to be fruitful the root must be attended to. But our grave error is that we keep caring for the leaves and branches leaving the root unattended. If we turn our attention to our thought life we shall bear fruit—real fruit, not imitation or hypocritical ones. “Judah shall take root downward (hidden attitude) and bear fruit upward” (Isa 37:31). “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he” (Prov 23:7). Our actions are the outcome of our attitudes. The heart (or mind) is the seat of all thoughts, imaginations and intents. It is the womb of evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness and blasphemies. When they are conceived and nurtured, in due time they are born through the eyes, mouth, ears, hands and feet to be seen of the world (Mt 15:19; Gen 6:5).

God does not wink at our thoughts. Our thoughts will be judged on “the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ” (Rom 2:16). “O Lord of hosts, You who judge righteously, testing the mind and the heart” (Jer 11:20). Michal despised David “in her heart” and therefore was barren (2 Sam 6:16-23). God scatters the proud in the imagination of their hearts (Lk 1:51). But God honours our good thoughts. “Blessed is he who considers the poor” (Psa 41:1). A string of blessings follow. This man is just considering the poor. He has not started to act on his thoughts either because he has no money or he has not faced an opportunity yet. But his very attitude towards the poor is honoured by the Lord! “The mercy of the Lord... to such as keep His covenant, and to those who remember to do them” (Psa 103:18).

Some thoughts are not sinful but unnecessary. These could be thoughts of food, clothes or life. God commands us not to worry about these, because what can we achieve by worrying? (Mt 6:25-28). God knows our needs. Our life is in God’s hand. He is the Prince of life. So even in times of distress or fatal illness quit worrying and relax in His hands. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these shall be added to you (6:33). When your thoughts are troubled and you are confused, remember the voice of the Lord which proclaims, “My thoughts are not your thoughts. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My thoughts higher than your thoughts” (Isa 55:8,9). Calm down. The disciples thought they were perishing in the storm. But Jesus thought to take them to the desired haven!

And there is the vain thought. It is useless imagination which consumes our precious time. David hated vain thoughts and spent his time reading God’s Word (Psa 119:113). Vain thoughts include assumptions and guesses which spoil our mind. Some evil report comes floating in the air and we immediately say, “I know no one else but Mr. X could have spawned it”—so emphatically, so definitely. We see some mischief and conclude in our mind who could be responsible for it—then it mushrooms into an imagination of why and how he did it, etc., etc. Do not allow your mind to think beyond proven facts. Our pastor illustrated how misleading our imaginations could be. A man took shelter in the verandah of a house on a cold and rainy night. He heard a voice from inside, “Let’s cut the neck.” And another gruff male voice, “No, let’s cut the hand first.” The man, scared to death, brought the police only to find two tailors cutting a blouse!

We need to be careful about what we think since unconsciously we express our thoughts in words or deeds. We all have had bitter experiences when we bit our tongues and wished we had not uttered that word. “Do not curse the king even in your thought... a bird in flight may tell the matter” (Eccl 10:20). We should take care “not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith” (Rom 12:3). If the devil cannot pull us backward he will push us forward. Even God’s chosen people may stumble in their walk with God when we imagine too much about ourselves and get dissatisfied in our present estate and attempt to do what God has not called us to do. Be busy doing the things God has entrusted in your hand and save yourselves from such a snare of new and bombastic visions. “Keep your hearts with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life” (Prov 4:23). The same heart is described as deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked (Jer 17:9). So it depends on the way we keep it.

We keep struggling to control or discipline our thoughts and always (or so it seems) end up as failures. Let me encourage you by saying that you do really very well as long as you keep struggling. A time comes when you become frustrated with all your failure (!) methods to discipline your unruly mind and whisper to yourself, “I have tried hopelessly for many years to no avail. What is the use of going on like this without victory? This must be natural for everyone. A man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do. So let me relax the bit and bridle”—and your thoughts go berserk. Ah ! This is exactly the opportunity the devil was hoping and waiting for. Now he jumps on to your back and takes up the reins and drives your mind to gallop like the wind! Never give up the reins lest Satan takes hold of it. Keep on struggling—and you are safe.

There are some measures to develop a mental discipline. We must train our conscience to acknowledge evil thoughts as sin (Prov 24:9). Realise that we must repent even of our thoughts, confess it and seek forgiveness. Apostle Peter said to the one who offered money to get the gift of God, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money!... Your heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you” (Acts 8:20-22). God is a thought reader. Ask Him to reveal your thoughts and intents to you. “He declares to man what his thought is” (Amos 4:13). Pray with David, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts.” Now do you understand why David was a man after God’s own heart?

God’s Word is the discerner of our thoughts and intents (Heb 4:12). Test with the help of Scriptures if your thoughts are right or not. Face it honestly. Train up your mind to think according to the Scriptures as you grow up in God. When you were a child you thought as a child (1 Cor 13:11). But when you grow up to be a man to the stature of Christ think as Christ. Let the mind of Christ be in you (Phil 2:5). Graduate in love. Love thinks no evil (1 Cor 13:5). Keep God in all your thoughts. I remember how when I was a student the moment I left home for college, God would slip out of my mind. Once back home, suddenly I would remember Him. I tried hard to keep God in my thoughts throughout the day. So in every note book and text book I had a Bible verse written to switch my mind back to God. “God is in none of the thoughts of the wicked” (Psa 10:4).

Make a covenant with the organs of your body not to violate their code of ethics. “I have made a covenant with my eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?” (Job 31:1). Forsake evil thoughts (Isa 55:7; Zech 8:17). God does not give impossible commandments. If He has asked you to do it He will also give you the grace to do it. Never be discouraged. It is literally a warfare. “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor 10:4,5).

Do not allow the world to pour its filth into your mind through your eyes and ears. Avoid such books, TV programmes, and conversation. Do not express your evil thoughts (Prov 30:32). That way you can prevent the full growth of sin. Take notes while listening to sermons whether you need it or not. Carry good books or a pocket New Testament to read during waiting hours or journeys.

Finally let your outward actions be committed to the Lord. “Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established” (Prov 16:3). Be busy. Never be idle. Let your every day prayer be that of David, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord” (Psa 19:14).

You shall dwell in the holy hill and abide in God’s tabernacle if there is truth even in your thoughts (Psa 15:2). A book of remembrance is written before Him for those who meditate on His name (Mal 3:16). God will rightly guide your thoughts if your motive is pure (Acts 10:19; Mt 1:20). In the multitude of your thoughts within you God’s comforts shall delight your soul (Psa 94:19). A good formula to be memorised to help rectify your thought process is Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praise-worthy — meditate on these things!”

Are you discouraged thinking at this seeming impossibility? Take heart. “He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think!”